Apple is offering U.S. customers who purchase and redeem an Apple Gift Card three months of free access to Apple Arcade. Holiday gift card purchases made before January 6, 2026 are eligible for the ‌Apple Arcade‌ trial, as long as the card is redeemed by January 13, 2026.


The offer is available to new or qualified returning ‌Apple Arcade‌ subscribers, but it is not an option for existing ‌Apple Arcade‌ subscribers. New subscribers can try ‌Apple Arcade‌ for three months, while returning subscribers get two months of access.

There is no minimum denomination required for the gift card purchase, and the gift card can be acquired from the Apple retail store or Apple online store. Apple gift cards from third-party retailers or new value added to an Apple Account balance are not eligible for the ‌Apple Arcade‌ trial. Only one trial per Apple Account is available.

Apple will provide the bonus code immediately after gift card redemption to an Apple Account balance. An Apple Account with a payment method on file is required, and the plan will automatically renew at $6.99 per month unless it is canceled.

‌Apple Arcade‌ is Apple's subscription gaming service, offering over 200 games with no in-app fees or ads. Up to six family members can access ‌Apple Arcade‌ with a single subscription.
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Google is rolling out a redesigned video editor on iOS devices, providing an updated design that is "faster and easier to use." There's a universal timeline with support for multi-clip editing and storytelling, plus an adaptive canvas that makes editing simpler.


Tools that you need to edit photos and videos are easier to access, and Google says "everything you need is right where you expect it to be."

When creating videos, users can browse the Photos music library and quickly add a soundtrack to a highlight video.

There are also several features that are available on Android devices that could expand to iOS devices in the future. Android users have access to templates with pre-set formats that include built-in music, text, and cuts that are synced to a soundtrack, along with the option to add custom text overlays.

Google says that the new features will be available to users starting today.
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Apple has ordered 22 million OLED panels from Samsung Display for the first foldable iPhone, signaling a significantly larger production target than the display industry had previously anticipated, ET News reports.


In the now-seemingly deleted report, ET News claimed that Samsung plans to mass-produce 11 million inward-folding OLED displays for Apple next year, as well as 11 million accompanying external displays. With Samsung Display serving as the exclusive supplier of these components, the production plan implies that Apple's own target output for the first-generation foldable ‌iPhone‌ is in the range of 10 million finished devices, since suppliers usually produce more components than Apple needs to account for yield and quality variations.

This production plan is more than 30% higher than initial industry expectations, which placed early foldable ‌iPhone‌ shipments between six million and eight million units. Those earlier estimates were based on the historical performance of the global foldable smartphone market, which has hovered just above 20 million units annually.

The report reiterated that the device is expected to feature a book-style, inward-folding design with a 5.35-inch external display and a 7.58-inch folding internal display. It is believed to contain an advanced hinge design and specialized material properties to minimize the crease in the folding display.

Apple reportedly plans to adopt Color Filter on Encapsulation (COE), a method that removes the traditional polarizer layer and integrates its functionality directly into the OLED stack. Eliminating the polarizer can reduce thickness and improve brightness. The device is also rumored to incorporate an Under Display Camera (UDC), allowing the internal display to achieve a more seamless full-screen appearance without a punch hole or visible camera cutout.

The first foldable ‌iPhone‌ is expected to launch next year alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max.
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Klarna is now available as a buy-now, pay-later option when using Apple Pay in France and Italy. This financing option lets you pay for your Apple Pay purchase in monthly installments, with the shortest payment plans being interest free.


Eligible customers can split purchases into three monthly installments, or choose to pay up to 30 days later, without paying any interest. For higher-value purchases with longer payment plans, Klarna says it offers competitive interest rates.

Klarna was already available via Apple Pay in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Spain, and Sweden, so there are now eight countries supported.

Apple discontinued its own buy-now, pay-later service called Apple Pay Later last year, and instead started partnering with third-party providers, including Klarna, Affirm, and Synchrony. Availability of these providers varies by country.

When checking out with Apple Pay online and in apps, iPhone and iPad users can select "Other Cards & Pay Later Options" to access installment payment plans from Klarna and other financing partners, where available. Starting with iOS 26, the buy-now, pay-later options are also available for in-store Apple Pay purchases.
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Apple Arcade will be adding four new games on Thursday, January 8, including True Skate+, Cozy Caravan, Sago Mini Jinja's Garden, and Potion Punch 2+.


True Skate+ is a skateboarding simulation game with realistic physics. You can flick a virtual skateboard with your fingers to perform various tricks.

Cozy Caravan is a kid-friendly, single-player game in which you navigate a caravan through picturesque landscapes, helping communities along the way.

Sago Mini Jinga's Garden is another kid-friendly game in which you plant gardens, harvest ingredients, and explore the open world at your own pace.

Potion Punch 2+ tasks you with mixing powerful potions.

Apple Arcade is a subscription service that provides access to hundreds of games across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro. All of the games are free of ads and in-app purchases. In the U.S., Apple Arcade costs $6.99 per month, and it is also bundled with other Apple services in all Apple One plans.

Apple Arcade can be accessed through the App Store and Apple Games apps.
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Amazon and Best Buy today opened up big discounts across the M5 iPad Pro lineup, offering as much as $180 off select tablets. Prices start at $899.00 for the 256GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M5 iPad Pro at Amazon, down from $999.00. All deals in this sale match — or beat — the record low prices we tracked during Black Friday.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

For the larger models, you can save up to $180 on the 13-inch M5 iPad Pro on Amazon this week. If you're shopping for the 2TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi model, Amazon has this tablet for $2,219.00, down from $2,399.00, as well as a few other 13-inch models between $100 and $170 off.




In regards to the Amazon discounts, many of the deals are beginning to see delayed delivery estimates, with some arriving after the Christmas holiday. If you're shopping for holiday presents, be sure to get your orders in soon.

11-Inch M5 iPad Pro

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $899.00 ($100 off)


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,099.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]


• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,474.73 ($125 off)


• 1TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,576.00 ($123 off)


• 2TB Wi-Fi - $1,851.00 ($148 off)


• 2TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,999.00 ($100 off)

13-Inch M5 iPad Pro

• 256GB Wi-Fi - $1,197.00 ($102 off)


• 512GB Wi-Fi - $1,399.00 ($100 off) [matched at Best Buy]


• 1TB Wi-Fi - $1,756.00 ($143 off)


• 1TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $1,851.00 ($148 off)


• 2TB Wi-Fi - $2,129.00 ($170 off)


• 2TB Nano-Texture Glass Wi-Fi - $2,219.00 ($180 off)

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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iFixit today announced the launch of a new iFixit app that's available to download from Apple's App Store (and the Play Store on Android devices). It includes all of the iFixit repair guides in a format that's ideal for mobile devices, along with a workbench that keeps track of repairs, a battery lifespan predictor, and an AI repair buddy called FixBot.


The iFixit repair app is able to monitor an iPhone's battery in real time, providing graphs of how a battery deteriorates over time. The graphs provide users with advanced notice of when a battery might need to be replaced.

FixBot is able to provide AI assistance to solve issues with smartphones, laptops, tablets, and more. Users can describe a problem with text or voice, and FixBot will provide help with diagnosis and repair. FixBot can respond to questions verbally for hands-free use, and there's also an option to share images with the AI.

iFixit says that FixBot is trained on millions of successful iFixit community repairs rather than generic information, which makes it a useful repair tool. FixBot is available in the iFixit app, and it can also be used on iFixit's website.

The app includes all of iFixit's repair guides, but it is aware of what smartphone the user has and will default to showing repair information for that device for quick information on fixes.

There are options for purchasing repair parts directly from iFixit, with the app able to check for device compatibility before a purchase is made.

iFixit did have an app that was available up until 2015, but Apple pulled it from the App Store after iFixit tore down an Apple TV developer kit. Apple said that iFixit violated the Apple terms of service with the teardown, and banned the iFixit developer account. Ten years later, iFixit was allowed to return to the ‌App Store‌.

The iFixit app can be downloaded from the App Store for free, and more information on the app is available on iFixit's website. Access to FixBot is free for now, and later, there will be both a free version and a $4.99 per month Enthusiast plan with document uploads.
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Apple has announced the availability of Tap to Pay on iPhone in Hong Kong, allowing independent sellers, small merchants, and large retailers in the region to use ‌iPhones‌ as a payment terminal.


Tap to Pay allows iPhones to accept payments via Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets‌‌‌. All transactions are encrypted, and Apple has no information about what is purchased or the person who made the purchase.

No additional hardware or credit card machine is required‌ to use Tap to Pay on iPhone. The feature uses NFC technology to securely authenticate the contactless payments, plus the feature also supports PIN entry, which includes accessibility options.

From today, Adyen, Global Payments, KPay, and SoéPay are the first payment platforms in Hong Kong to offer Tap to Pay on iPhone. Apple says the rollout cuts across key sectors, including taxi, retail, food and beverage, and professional services.

Tap to Pay on ‌iPhone‌ launched in February 2022 in the United States, and since then, Apple has expanded it to more than 50 countries and regions around the world.
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Google is developing two pairs of smart glasses with artificial intelligence that will launch in 2026, the company said today. The first set of glasses have AI integration and are designed for screen-free assistance with built-in speakers, microphones, and cameras for speaking to Google Gemini.


Users will be able to take photos using the camera, and then ask Gemini questions about their surroundings for real-time help.

The second set of glasses has the same AI capabilities along with an in-lens display that is able to display helpful information like turn-by-turn directions or live translation captions. Both sets of glasses will connect to a smartphone, with processing done on that device. The glasses will run Android XR, Google's platform for wearables.

Google is partnering with Samsung to develop the glasses, plus it is working with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster, two companies that design eyeglasses. Google says that its glasses options will be stylish, lightweight, and comfortable enough to wear all day.

The Google smart glasses will compete with the Meta Ray-Bans and any upcoming products from Apple. Meta already has Ray-Ban and Oakley glasses with AI and Ray-Bans with an in-lens display. Rumors suggest that Apple is working to unveil its first set of AI smart glasses as soon as 2026.
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Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser that was first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to allow users to test features that are planned for future release versions of the Safari browser.


‌Safari Technology Preview‌ 233 includes fixes and updates for Animations, HTML, MathML, Rendering, Web API, and Web Inspector.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe, the newest version of macOS.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser from Apple’s website. Complete release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple’s aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while it is designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download and use.
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iPhone users in Japan are now able to use Apple's Messages via satellite feature, Apple said today. Messages via satellite works on the ‌iPhone‌ 14 or later and the Apple Watch Ultra 3, allowing users who have no cellular or Wi-Fi connection to use satellite connectivity for messaging.


When attempting to send a message with no cellular or Wi-Fi connection, ‌iPhone‌ users in Japan will see a message that prompts them to connect to the nearest satellite. After connecting, users can send and receive iMessages, SMS messages, emoji characters, and use the Messages Tapback feature.

Messages sent via satellite offer the same end-to-end encryption as messages sent over Wi-Fi or cellular.

Japanese users already had access to emergency SOS via satellite and the option to share location via satellite in the Find My app, so the new Messages via satellite option joins those two features.

iOS 18 or later is required for Messages via satellite on ‌iPhone‌, while the feature needs watchOS 26 or later on the ‌Apple Watch Ultra 3‌. Satellite connectivity continues to be free for all ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch users with supported devices.
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The developer behind the ICEBlock app that Apple removed from the App Store at the Trump administration's request is suing for suppression of free speech. The lawsuit names Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, and other government officials, accusing them of First Amendment violations (via NPR).


Key to the lawsuit is a statement from Bondi, who claimed Apple removed the app after the government asked Apple to do so. "We reached out to Apple today demanding they remove the ICEBlock app from their ‌App Store‌ -- and Apple did so," said Bondi.

ICEBlock allows iPhone users to report the location of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents when the agents are spotted in public. The app was removed from the ‌App Store‌ in early October, though people who downloaded it before it was pulled are still able to use it. ICEBlock had over a million users when it was removed from the ‌App Store‌.

Joshua Aaron, the app's developer, argues that the creation, distribution, and promotion of ICEBlock is lawful and protected by the First Amendment. He claims that the government officials named in the lawsuit used the authority of their offices to pressure, threaten, and coerce Apple to remove the app.

This lawsuit challenges these government officials' unconstitutional threats and demands against Apple, which pressured it to remove the ICEBlock app from the App Store. In particular, Attorney General Bondi's coercion of Apple has censored Aaron and ALL U Chart,Inc., which owns ICEBlock's intellectual property, by making ICEBlock--their speech--unavailable to the public.

Apple is not named in the lawsuit, and is not being targeted by Aaron. When the app was removed from the ‌App Store‌, Apple said that the app violated guideline 1.1.1, and made it clear that it was removed at the behest of the government.

Information provided to Apple by law enforcement shows that your app violates Guideline 1.1.1 because its purpose is to provide location information about law enforcement officers that can be used to harm such officers individually or as a group. For this reason, your app will be removed from the App Store

Aaron asks that the court allow ICEBlock to be reinstated, and that government officials be prevented from threatening or pressuring ICEBlock distributors.
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Apple and Google are teaming up to make it easier for users to switch between iPhone and Android smartphones, according to 9to5Google. There is a new Android Canary build available today that simplifies data transfer between two smartphones, and Apple is going to implement the functionality in an upcoming iOS 26 beta.


Apple already has a Move to iOS app for transferring data from an Android device to an ‌iPhone‌, while Google has an Android Switch app that can migrate data from an ‌iPhone‌ to an Android smartphone. The new method will apparently replace the existing apps, offering a transfer function when setting up a new ‌iPhone‌ or Android device.

The collaboration will apparently add "more functionality" and support for transferring data types that are not available to transfer with the current tools.

Both Apple and Google are facing regulatory pressure around the world, with multiple countries scrutinizing practices that might keep customers locked into a platform. Making it simpler for users to transition from one platform to another will be beneficial to both companies.
This article, "Switching Between iPhone and Android Will Get Easier With New Apple and Google Collaboration" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Satechi and MacRumors have partnered up this week to offer our readers an exclusive 30 percent discount on select products for a limited time. This sale is available only on Satechi's website, and it will run through December 15.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Satechi. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

To get the discount, add anything from the lists below to your cart and head to checkout. Once at checkout, you can enter the code MRHOLIDAY to get 30 percent off your order for this week only. This discount code takes 30 percent off each item in your cart, so you can purchase multiple accessories at once.




Products in this sale include Satechi's newest Qi2 charging stations and travel chargers, including the 3-in-1 Foldable Charging Station for $91.00, down from $129.99. You can also get both of Satechi's On The Go chargers on sale for 30 percent off with our exclusive code, priced at $56.00 for the 2-in-1 model and $70.00 for the 3-in-1 model.

It's also worth noting that some products are under a "last chance" discount, leftover from Satechi's Cyber Week sale, and our exclusive code stacks with these markdowns. This means you can get ultra-steep discounts on Satechi's 2-in-1 Headphone Stand and Wireless Charger ($39.20, $40 off) and Thunderbolt 4 Dock ($147.00, $152 off).


The code also covers 30 percent off Satechi's range of FindAll Bluetooth trackers, including the FindAll Keychain, FindAll Card, FindAll Luggage Tag, FindAll Glasses Case, and FindAll Passport Cover. We've listed every product that works with our exclusive MRHOLIDAY discount code below, so be sure to shop the sale before it ends on December 15.

Wall Chargers

• 67W On The Go Slim Wall Charger - $42.00, down from $59.99


• 165W USB-C 4-Port GaN Charger - $84.00, down from $119.99

Wireless Chargers

• 2-in-1 Headphone Stand and Wireless Charger - $39.20, down from $55.99
  
• 2-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Charging Stand - $56.00, down from $79.99


• On The Go 2-in-1 Charger - $56.00, down from $79.99


• On The Go 3-in-1 Charger - $70.00, down from $99.99


• 3-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Charging Stand - $91.00, down from $129.99

Bluetooth Trackers

• FindAll Keychain - $21.00, down from $29.99


• FindAll Card - $24.50, down from $34.99


• FindAll Luggage Tag - $31.50, down from $44.99


• FindAll Glasses Case - $35.00, down from $49.99


• FindAll Passport Cover - $42.00, down from $59.99

Docks and Hubs

• Pro Hub Slim - $56.00, down from $79.99


• 7-in-1 Slim USB-C Multiport Adapter - $56.00, down from $79.99


• Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Pro - $140.00, down from $199.99


• Thunderbolt 4 Dock - $147.00, down from $209.99


• Thunderbolt 4 Multimedia Pro Dock - $245.00, down from $349.99

Miscellaneous

• On The Go Bluetooth Keyboard - $56.00, down from 479.99


• On The Go Bluetooth Mouse - $21.00, down from $29.99


• Thunderbolt 4 Pro Cable - $28.00, down from $39.99

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Australia's new social media law goes into effect on December 10, 2025, and ahead of that date, Apple is sharing information on developer tools that are designed to help social media apps adhere to the law.


Children under the age of 16 will no longer be allowed to use Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, YouTube (except for YouTube Kids), Snapchat, X, Twitch, Threads, and Kick in Australia, and those apps have to take "reasonable steps" to remove underage users from their platforms starting Wednesday. Apps will also need to prevent new signups from users under the age of 16, and there is a one-year transition period before penalties will begin.

To assist developers, Apple provides the Declared Age Range API, which gives developers access to the age range of users. Other tools available include an option for an age suitability URL that provides more information on the app and its age-related content, app description pages that indicate age restrictions, and tools for setting higher minimum age ranges.

Platforms that don't deactivate accounts created by children will face serious fines. Australia may also add more apps to its banned list over time, depending on the apps that kids adopt after not being able to access their current favorites.

Australia is the first country to implement a total social media ban for children.

More information is available on Apple's developer website.
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Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found.


Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone by going to the General section and selecting Software Update.

iOS 26.2 has a Liquid Glass slider on the Lock Screen to adjust the transparency of the clock, plus it brings AirPods Live Translation to the European Union. The Reminders app now supports alarms for when tasks are due, and there are updates to the Podcasts and Apple News apps. Menu animations have been revamped, and CarPlay supports disabling pinned messages in the Messages app.

We have a full list of all the features available in iOS 26.2 in our guide.

iOS 26.2 will likely see a launch later this week.
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Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future.


"I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:

I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and speculations about my future at Apple, and I feel that you need to hear from me directly. I am proud of the amazing Technologies we all build across Displays, Cameras, Sensors, Silicon, Batteries, and a very wide set of technologies, across all of Apple Products. Together we enable the best products in the world. I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon.

Last week, Gurman said that Srouji recently told Apple CEO Tim Cook that he was "seriously considering leaving in the near future." Srouji did not explicitly deny the report, but it appears that he has no plans to leave Apple for now.

Srouji informed colleagues that he would be interested in working for another company if he did leave Apple, rather than retiring, according to Gurman.

Srouji is Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies. He joined the company in 2008 to lead development of the iPhone 4's A4 chip, the first Apple-designed system-on-a-chip. He previously held senior positions at Intel and IBM.

Apple's chips have achieved many performance records, making Srouji one of the company's most important executives. For example, the A19 Pro chip in the iPhone 17 Pro models offers the world's fastest CPU in any smartphone, while Apple silicon chips in Macs continue to deliver industry-leading performance per watt.

Apple is facing turnover among its top ranks. Apple's operations chief Jeff Williams recently retired, and he will soon be followed by the company's AI research chief John Giannandrea, environmental chief Lisa Jackson, and general counsel Kate Adams. In addition, Apple's software design chief Alan Dye is joining Meta's Reality Labs later this month. Finally, Cook is reportedly planning to step down as CEO as early as next year.
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Apple today shared a new "Outrun" Apple Pay ad on its YouTube channel, highlighting the usefulness of the payments service when a physical payment method is unavailable.


In the spot, a woman fleeing from an attacking monster pulls into a gas station, then realizes she doesn't have her wallet to pay for gas. She's able to make her purchase with her iPhone instead. "Count on ‌Apple Pay‌," reads the video's tagline.

Apple has been running the 35-second ad on TikTok and other social networks since November, but it is new to YouTube as of today.

‌Apple Pay‌ works on all modern iPhones and Apple Watch models, allowing users to link a debit or credit card to a device and use the Wallet app to make contactless payments in supported locations.
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Apple led global smartphone sales with the iPhone 16 in the third quarter of 2025 while simultaneously accelerating demand for the iPhone 17 lineup and expanding its promotional footprint in the United States, according to new analyses from Counterpoint Research.


Counterpoint Research's Global Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker shows that the ‌iPhone 16‌ was the best-selling smartphone worldwide during the third quarter of 2025. Well into its second year of life, the device's sustained performance is attributed to continued demand among users upgrading from older iPhone generations, expanded carrier promotions in developed markets, and the broad appeal of the standard ‌iPhone‌ configuration in regions where ultra-premium models represent a smaller share of total volume.

Alongside the ‌iPhone 16‌'s continued leadership, Counterpoint says the iPhone 17 Pro Max entered the quarterly global top-10 list and became the best-selling smartphone in September 2025, despite "limited availability towards the end of the quarter." According to the firm, demand for the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max was strengthened by a large cohort of users who purchased iPhones during the COVID-19 period and returned for major upgrades this year. New features such as a 48-megapixel telephoto camera with 8x optical zoom and a vapor-chamber cooling system represent one of Apple's most substantial year-over-year camera and thermal architecture revisions and contributed materially to monthly sales growth.

The same dataset indicates that, while Apple maintained its position at the top of the global rankings with the ‌iPhone 16‌ and expanded momentum with the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max, Samsung increased its presence in the top-10 list to five positions, all from the Galaxy A series.

A separate Counterpoint analysis of the global foldable smartphone sector shows that the premium market segment where Apple has not yet entered continued to grow at a materially faster pace than the broader industry. The firm reports that global foldable shipments increased 14% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2025, which is the highest quarterly shipment volume ever recorded for the category.

Counterpoint attributes much of this performance to Samsung's Galaxy Z 7 series, especially the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which generated "exceptionally strong consumer response" due to a slimmer and lighter enclosure, reduced crease visibility, and an upgraded hinge mechanism designed for improved durability. While Apple has not released a foldable ‌iPhone‌, rumors suggest that the company will debut such a device as soon as next year.

Meanwhile, Counterpoint's U.S. Weekly Smartphone Promotions Index shows that Apple intensified its promotional activity in response to unusually early and aggressive Pixel 10 discounts led by Google. Apple finished the period overtaking Google.
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Apple Wallet car key support is coming to Rivian's second-generation R1S and R1T electric vehicles with a 2025.46 software update later this month, according to the company's software chief Wassym Bensaid. He did not provide a specific date.


This feature will allow you to remotely unlock, lock, and start a second-generation R1S or R1T with an iPhone or Apple Watch, without needing to use the Rivian app. Express Mode will be supported, meaning you can keep your iPhone in your pocket as you approach the vehicle, as unlocking the device with Face ID is not required.

Rivian is implementing a newer version of the feature with Ultra Wideband technology for passive entry, eliminating the need to place your iPhone near an NFC reader.


If your iPhone battery runs out, a Power Reserve feature ensures the Apple Wallet key can still be used for up to five hours after the device shut off.

You can share an Apple Wallet car key with up to eight family and friends via AirDrop or any messaging app, such as the Messages app or WhatsApp.

Apple Wallet car keys will not be supported in Rivian's first-generation R1S and R1T vehicles that were built through the 2024 model year.

Despite implementing Apple Wallet car key support, Rivian remains opposed to CarPlay. The electric vehicle maker does offer a built-in Apple Music app with a Connect+ subscription, which costs $14.99 per month or $149.99 per year.
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Apple's AirPods Pro 3 have returned to the low price of $219.99 today on Amazon, down from $249.00. We first tracked this deal during Black Friday, and today is one of the first times it's returned since that event ended.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

The AirPods Pro 3 have 2x better Active Noise Cancellation than the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2, better audio quality, a revised fit that's meant to improve comfort and stability, Live Translation for in-person conversations, and heart rate sensing for workouts.



In other AirPods deals, the AirPods 4 with ANC is available for $99.99 on Amazon, down from $179.00, which is another match for a record low price.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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This article, "AirPods Pro 3 Matching Black Friday Low Price of $219.99 on Amazon" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today announced that Fitness+ is expanding to 28 new markets on December 15 in the service's largest international rollout since launch, accompanied by new language dubbing and a K-Pop music genre.


Apple Fitness+ will become available in Chile, Hong Kong, India, the Netherlands, Singapore, Taiwan, and additional regions on December 15, with Japan scheduled to follow early next year. The expansion increases total availability to 49 countries.

Hundreds of sessions will initially be available with digitally generated voice dubbing in Spanish and German, with Japanese added when the service launches in Japan. New dubbed episodes will be released weekly across all supported regions.

The new dubbing system uses a generated voice modeled on each of the 28 Fitness+ trainers' real voices. Users will be able to switch audio tracks after starting a session or set a preferred language in the Fitness app, which will automatically default to the dubbed version when available. Apple has not previously offered dubbed workout content on Fitness+, instead relying on subtitles for non-English markets since the service launched in 2020.

Apple is also adding a new K-Pop music genre to the service, which will be available across workout types. The new category joins existing genres such as Upbeat Anthems, Latest Hits, Hip-Hop/R&B, and Latin Grooves. Apple also noted that the latest episode of Time to Walk features Japanese Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda, and is available today.

Fitness+ is currently available in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S. The service will reach the newly announced 28 markets, which include Norway, Poland, the Philippines, Sweden, Vietnam, and others, on December 15.
This article, "Apple Fitness+ Coming to 28 New Regions With Digital Voice Dubbing" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Amazon and Best Buy today introduced new all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across numerous models of the smartwatch. These discounts beat the Black Friday prices we saw last month by about $30.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 for $299.00, down from $399.00, and the 46mm GPS model for $329.00, down from $429.00. On Amazon, you'll find four of the 42mm GPS models on sale at this all-time low price, and three of the 46mm GPS models on sale.




If you're shopping for cellular models, you can find record low prices on multiple models this week on Amazon. The 42mm cellular Apple Watch Series 11 has hit $399.00, down from $499.00, and the 46mm cellular model has hit $429.00, down from $529.00.




Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

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This article, "Apple Watch Series 11 Drops to New All-Time Low Price of $299" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker.


According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth system's infrared sensors pass through the panel without distortion.

The approach is similar to existing industry techniques that use micro-perforated or nano-patterned glass to selectively improve IR transmission in a localized region above the sensor array.

The report also suggests Apple's work has already prompted related suppliers to accelerate preparation for potential production.

There have been several rumors suggesting the iPhone 18 Pro models will include under-display Face ID, but some disagreement over whether we'll see the technology in 2026. A May report by The Information claimed that iPhone 18 Pro models will have no Dynamic Island with just a pinhole cutout located at the upper left of the display, but other rumors suggest there's still going to be a Dynamic Island.

Analyst Ross Young said that the iPhone 18 Pro models could have under-display Face ID, but that doesn't mean there won't be no Dynamic Island at all. Instead, the pill-shaped hole will be smaller. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has also spoken of a slimmed down Dynamic Island for the iPhone 18 Pro models.

The new claim of a micro-transparent glass window supports the view that there will be a smaller Dynamic Island that shifts TrueDepth sensing components below the screen while retaining a smaller cutout for the front camera. While Smart Pikachu does not specifically mention the Pro models, supply-chain sources often use "series" loosely when discussing early panel and materials testing, and all previous rumors have related to Apple's high-end models.

Apple is expected to release the iPhone 18 Pro models in September, alongside an all-new foldable iPhone, as part of a new split cycle launch. The regular iPhone 18 and the more affordable iPhone 18e are not expected to debut until early 2027.
This article, "iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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